The revised design of George Lucas' proposed Lucas Cultural Arts Museum keeps the classical look that was part of the original proposal last fall, but such ceremonial touches as a large dome above the entrance have been reduced. The architect is Urban Design Group of Dallas.

After the three top contenders for the Presidio Trust's competition to build a new facility in the Presidio handed in proposals that met with stark divides in public opinion, the trust responded by sending them all back to the drawing board. Now, the three proposals are back: revised, tweaked, repacked - and imperfect for this special site.

The one that everyone wants to know about is George Lucas' proposal. There are two other contenders who submitted proposals, though it's clear by now that Lucas is the biggest game in town. His is the one with the most star power, the largest number of political endorsements and the most money. But all of these things - including a heavy-handed approach to the public decision-making process - seem to have stoked rather than eased the controversy around his project. Much of that has to do with Lucas' determination to have the museum that he wants - even though the kind of design that he wants isn't a perfect fit for the Presidio.

With the revision, Lucas has toned down the grandeur of his original design and improved the way that the building is situated on the site. The height has been decreased, the entry stairs have been pulled back, and the East Gallery and the West wing have been set back to grant a better view on both sides. Some of the architectural bells and whistles have disappeared, and the whole building looks less like a monument to its founder.

But if you didn't like the original design, you're not likely to like the new one. Lucas' revision is just that - an edit, not a rethink. He's staked his position on a classical-style design that has little feeling for the park's architectural history or the site's physical features. The building still looks as if it's closing off the park, not actively embracing the natural habitat.

It's telling that the other major contender for the site, an environmentally themed center from the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, submitted along with its revisions a strong endorsement for the idea that the trust delay its decision. (The third contender, a team proposing a sustainability institute, didn't present new renderings and has had a much lower public profile.) The conservancy probably believes that further delay will strengthen its hand with the trust.

But a delay remains a wise idea - and not because we expect that it will tip the trust in the direction of the conservancy. (The conservancy shouldn't depend on that either. Public opinion is a tricky, oft-shifting beast in San Francisco.) This is a critical project for the future of Crissy Field, one of San Francisco's most-loved public spaces. And right now, that field is a construction site, thanks to the Doyle Drive rebuild. The site might look quite a bit different once all of the cranes and temporary buildings are gone. An open site might also offer the three contenders fresh ideas about how to provide buildings that truly take advantage of the Presidio's remarkable features.